The Vedic fathers of geology

Tue Prorerozorc Eprocu. 109

Geology seem to be most convincing im the main fact, that the Rishis of the Rig-Vediec period had discovered, even at that distant date, that vegetable growth, or vitality in herbs and plants had appeared, or for the matter of that the very growth of life on Farth, first commenced, in the Paleozoic Period, that is, some three Epochs before the advent of Man—the crowning piece of Mammalian order, nay, even of creation itself. Because, there appears an express mention of the fact in the Rzg-Veda ( X. 97.1), which we shall give in extenso, in the next statement No. Il. p. 112. In short, according to the Rig-Vedie and Puranic Geologists, the whole thing in a nut-shell seems to be that, after our Planet cooled down, and acquired a condition compatible with the existence of life, herbs ( atrr#i: ), and fish ( Areq: ), including trilobites, appeared in the first Geological Period (gat tat), viz. the Palzeozoic Era ; while, in the third or the Tertiary Epoch, the Mammalian order, with the Man or the Gods as the crowning piece of creation, made its appear71९8 ( देवेभ्यलियुगं पुरा । 7. V. X. 97.1). We shall, therefore, for the sake of comparison, and for bringing conyiction home to the reader, turn our attention for a while to the Western and modern geologists of note, and sce what they

have to state in the matter, as our Vedic 10